


Are You Coming to the Tree?

by knowair



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Bangchan and Felix are Brothers, Bangchan is Kinda in Love with his Bro's BFF, Changbin's Sad, Childhood Friends, Discovery of Sexuality, Drug Use, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Felix Vapes, Flashbacks, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Hyunjin's Rich, Hyunjin's a Snob, Internalized Homophobia, Jeongin is Confused, Jisung's a Player, Kinda sad?, Lots of Talk About Trees??, M/M, Meeting after 10 years, Minho's a Druggie, Minor Character Death, Minsung had a One Night Stand, Seungmin Just Wants Friends, Seungmin's a Skater, Suicide mention, There's a Large Oak, nostalgic, stray kids - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26399827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knowair/pseuds/knowair
Summary: "Are you, are you, coming to the tree?" Felix quipped, making Jeongin howl in laughter and Hyunjin scoff loudly."No one's gonna be coming to the tree after my parent's chop this bitch down," the ravenette commented, motioning to the large oak tree.It had been ten years since the eight boys had met each other by the tree. They were all different now, with changes caused by free will, puberty, and hormones.But they still had fire in their hearts. The same fire that had united them so many years ago. And this tree was the wood used to spark that internalized flame, and to make it into something beautiful.//Or, Bangchan is hopelessly in love with his brother's best friend, Minho's tried every drug under the sun, Changbin's best friend killed herself, Hyunjin's a stuck-up brat who gets whatever he wants, Jisung hooks up with people and leaves them the next day, Felix has a crippling nicotine addiction, Seungmin has no motivation, and Jeongin is questioning his sexuality all while being repressed in a homophobic household.A misfit group of kids made a promise : to meet under the wide oak tree after ten years apart. Little did they know just how screwed up they'd be once they did.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Lee Felix/Seo Changbin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Are You Coming to the Tree?

**Author's Note:**

> tw // mention of suicide ,, drugs ,, and vaping !

The oak tree seemed even bigger than before. 

After ten years, Bangchan had assumed that it would appear smaller, as the last time he visited this very tree he was only twelve.  
But no, it was huge. Its grand branches stretched over the area, as if proclaiming its existence to all who dare look at it. 

Bangchan gulped. Ten years ago, he stood at this very tree. Ten years ago, he made a promise. He wasn't about to back down from his word now. 

"Felix! Hurry your ass up," Chan called at the blond, who was currently running to catch up, "And that better not be what i think it is in your hand." 

Felix gulped, immediately pocketing the item he previously held clenched tightly in his fist. 

"Bro, i swear it wasn't, I-I can-"

Chan reached over, his hand taking the object from his brother's jean pocket. Of course, Chan sighed to himself, Felix wasn't much of a quitter, after all.

The object was, of course, a puff bar. Felix had gotten hooked to vaping two years ago, when he was only 17. He promised himself, he would only take one hit off of the vape. Yet, two years later and felix was still tragically addicted. 

"I thought you said you were gonna quit," Chan mused, handing the object back to a reluctant Felix.

"Yeah, well, saying that is a lot easier than actually doing it." The blonde shot back, shoving the puff back into his jeans. 

Chan shrugged, looking down and kicking a rock absentmindedly.

"I still can't believe we're here." 

Chan looked up from the rock, meeting the eyes of his brother. Although they were three years apart in age, Chan couldn't help but see the maturity in his brother's face as their eyes met. 

In all honestly, Chan couldn't believe he was there either.

At twelve years old, he thought that the promise the eight boys made was one that would be soon forgotten.Yet, there the two brothers stood, their feet planted into the ground, waiting for the remaining six boys to arrive. It was also not certain whether said boys would even bother to show up. 

Except, Chan cursed, That's not exactly true. 

Because he did, in fact, know that a certain ravenette would appear by the oak at any given moment. Because that certain ravenette happened to be his brother Felix's very best friend, none other than Yang-

"Jeongin!" Felix called out, running to hug his best friend.

Well shit, Chan rolled his eyes, Speak of the devil.

\- 

Jeongin skipped up to the massive oak tree, his doe eyes widening even more as he took in its stature. 

The nineteen year old had remembered the tree being massive, but not quite to this extent. 

But, under the tree, fanning himself from the heat of the sun, stood none other than the ravenette's best friend. 

Jeongin practically leaped onto Felix, hugging the boy as if he hadn't seen him in years. Which wasn't true in the slightest, as the boys had hung out quite literally the previous day. 

Jeongin couldn't say the same about the other boys who would soon make their appearances under the shady oak. In fact, the only two people Jeongin kept in touch with were standing under the tree already, Felix and his older brother Chan. 

Chan. At the mention of his name, Jeongin felt his cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink. He absentmindedly took a peek at the broad-shouldered boy, who was currently staring at a patch of mud as if it were about to sprout legs. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Jeongin found Chan's gaze quite attractive, even if it wasn't directed at him in the slightest. 

No, Jeongin mentally slapped himself, Chan is a boy. I just like looking at him because he's handsome. Buddies can think that about their amigos, right? 

But then, there was Chan, with his cute dimples that Jeongin wanted to poke so badly, his curly natural hair that the ravenette so desperately wanted to run his hands through, and his chocolate, sun-washed six-pac that Jeongin wanted to feel, and touch, and lick-

And maybe Jeongin was going a little crazy. But he had been having thoughts such as that every single day for the past year. And it agonized him. 

Because Yang Jeongin does not like boys. 

And no amount of Aussie-charm mustered up by Bangchan could ever change that.

-

Lee Minho stood under the branches of the oak tree, watching as a small ravenette practically tackled a blond, freckled boy into a hug. He watched as a seemingly older, curly haired figure pretended not to notice. 

In all honestly, Minho didn't bother to try to remember their names. It had been ten years since their last (and first) meeting, and not much had stuck in Minho's brain since. 

Drugs do make the mind go numb, after all. 

And Lee Minho had taken a fair share of substances to learn that fact the hard way. 

So as he approached the three boys under the wide oak tree, he plastered on a fake smile, showing his pearly whites convincingly. 

"Hi!" Minho exclaimed, raising an eyebrow at the faces that stared back at him, "I'm Minho. It's been a while, hasn't it?" 

"It sure has," answered the freckled blond, sticking his hand out, "I'm Felix. You probably don't remember my name though." 

Nope, Minho thought to himself, I didn't at all. 

But Minho did notice a shape pocketed in the right corner of Felix's jeans, which he instantly recognized as a puff bar. 

Well at least i'm not the only addicted one here, Minho mused to himself. 

"I'm Chan, Felix's older brother. I'm not sure if you remember me either." 

Chan seemed a bit more familiar to the brunette, but he still couldn't remember much about the boy. 

"And I'm Jeongin! I'm pretty sure I was the youngest out of all eight of us," the ravenette exclaimed, pulling Minho in for a hug, which Minho reluctantly accepted, so as not to be rude. 

Jeongin did look familiar, with his fox-like features and round, glassy eyes. But if he were to be placed in a room with a bunch of other teenage kids, Minho wouldn't have been able to differentiate him from the group.

It didn't help that Minho was incredibly high.

-

Han Jisung stepped over a pesky twig, almost cracking it in half. The walk from his house to the park had proven to be a longer and tougher track than he remembered. He instantly spotted the familiar oak tree, its regal branches swaying in the light breeze. He felt his phone buzz in the pocket of his pants, and he reached down and looked at the message. 

New Message: 

Hangyul:  
we on for tonight? 

Jisung sighed. He had told Hangyul that he wasn't interested about a week ago, yet, everyday he was reminded of the tall boy's existence though his constant messaging. 

Me:  
no. sorry. i already told you, it was a one time thing. 

Han Jisung had the reputation to only hook up once with someone, before completely disregarding them and treating them like shit. Hangyul however, didn't seem to catch on.

Sure, the sex had been fun and all, but Jisung was getting quite irritated at Hangyul's attempts for more. So, he hit the button that would solve this problem right away. 

Are you sure you would like to block Hangyul? 

More than sure, Jisung snickered to himself, before he looked up and made eye contact with a certain brunette, who he was not so keen on seeing. 

"Minho..." he breathed, his eyes widening. 

Jisung had expected Lee Minho to be by the oak, yet something about seeing his face after a whole two years made him unable to function properly. 

Sure, all the other boys he hadn't seen in ten years, as Minho was the only one Jisung had even glanced at since their last meeting by the grand oak. 

They had seen each other at a club two years ago. Jisung instantly recognized Minho's handsome face, his defined features and enticing smirk. Somehow, Minho had remembered Jisung too. One thing led to another, and Jisung found himself alone in an empty bed in an unfamiliar apartment the next morning. But the real thing that stung was the note, sprawled out in neat, block letters: 

I think I snorted a bit too much last night.  
I'm sorry. Please let yourself out when you wake up.  
\- Lee Minho

And here jisung was, staring into the stupid caramel eyes of the very boy who turned him into the person he was today. 

Because Lee Minho was the very reason Han Jisung slept and then forgot. Because two years ago, Minho had done the same to him. 

-

Seo Changbin didn't think he was going to come today. 

Today, after all, was the year anniversary of her death. 

But he remembered the promise the eight boys had made, and knew that it was important to at least show up.

C'mon Bin, he told himself, You don't have to stay the whole time. 

Changbin was sure that the other seven boys wouldn't care if he left before they did. Changbin was sure they wouldn't even remember him. He had been a quiet ten year old, and practically clung to his best friend Chae's side at all times. 

In fact, Changbin was pretty sure that if Chae was alive today, he still would've been attached at the hip to her, following her around like a puppy follows its owner.

But Chae was dead. And it had been a whole year. 

And yet, Seo Changbin was not fine. 

But he had to pretend he was, at least for today. 

At least, that's what the boy told himself, as he stepped up to the large oak tree and met the eyes of several boys who he only faintly remembered. 

-

Seungmin skated a bit behind the tree, coming to a stop and kicking the board up to hold. He heard awkward small talk coming from the other side of the oak. 

I'll stall as long as i can, Seungmin thought, biting his lip, It's not like they'll even notice if i'm a little late.

He ran a hand through his red hair, breathing in the smell of the old tree. He wasn't even completely sure if it would still be there, but upon research online, he found that the county was not allowed to cut down the oak tree due to its long-standing significance and presence in the park. 

And maybe this tree held significance in his own life too. 

The redhead knew the promises this tree contained between himself and the other seven boys whose faces he would soon be looking at again after ten whole years.

Seungmin remembered bits of names and traits. He was pretty sure there were a set of brothers who shared thick Australian accents and sun-washed skin, a small black haired boy whose smile was wide and constant, a brown haired boy who thought he was too tough for the world, a squirrel-like boy who would always stare at said brunette, a shy boy who clung to a confident girl, and lastly, a ravenette who looked like a prince, straight out of a fairytale. 

As if summoned by Seungmin's thoughts, said boy, except much older, and much more attractive, as Seungmin so dutifully noted, stood behind the redhead, clearing his throat loudly. 

"Uhm, excuse me? You and your cheap skateboard are blocking my way. I need to get around this tree." 

Apparently the prince-like boy did not have prince-like manners.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one is a wrap! Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave Kudos & comments , I'd love to read them & respond (: 
> 
> Song Recommendation of the Chapter : Leave It - N.Flying.


End file.
